Artist Monica Ramos Is Selling Art She Hasn’t Made Yet

Philippine-born, New York resident Monica Ramos is no stranger to us; we’ve been remote-fanning on her tiny watercolour characters and lush universes from the safety of our internet-screens for years. In just two weeks The Jaunt will be shipping her off to Jaipur, India to create a series of unique artworks, most of which are already sold.

You’re heading on a ‘Jaunt Forma’ trip. Where are you going?

I am going to Jaipur, the Pink City of India, by way of Delhi. It’s the capital of the Northern state of Rajasthan and at the center of the Thar desert.

So explain to me what the difference is between The Jaunt Forma and the regular Jaunt trips.

Unlike the regular Jaunt trips where the artists produce a screen print after their trip, the Jaunt Forma trips focuses on anything that is not a screen print. I’ll be working on a series of 35 original water colour paintings on paper, but the previous Jaunt Forma trips have produced wooden sculptures, for example.

You’re born in the Philippines and now reside in New York. Are you excited to be heading back to Asia for this trip?

Of course. I am in Manila right now, actually, and India feels like another world away.

Being a migrant (like ourselves) are you a native everywhere, or alien everywhere?

Maybe a native nowhere? I feel at home in New York, but I’m not an American and don’t think I will ever go down the path to citizenship. Living abroad for so long has made me question where is home. You end up feeling like you don’t fully belong anywhere. The goal is to be present wherever you are and make the most of your time there.

Do you have any knowledge or ideas about the area you’re going to?

I’ve been doing my research and it’s overwhelming! I really want to see Jantar Mantar, a collection of 19 fully functioning astronomical instruments from 1734 CE, including the world’s largest sundial. I need to visit the super famous Sheesh Mahal in the Amber Fort, which is a hall covered in designs made of glass mirrors. The light of a candle reflects into a thousand stars. A dear friend of mine from Mumbai also gave me a ton of great tips and introduced me to her friends from there, so I hope to see the local side of Jaipur as well.

Do you think your approach to creating a piece of art is different considering the brief, although the brief is pretty loose, right?

For my Jaunt trip there is actually no briefing, other than to go to India and become inspired. I’m keeping my mind open and just waiting to see what happens. I want to learn a local craft and integrate that into the work.

You have to keep a digital diary while you’re away, right? Is this a stress or are you up for it?

I am up for it! I always document my trips, but always feel shy to share too much online. Here is my chance, at last.

Do you need a clear mind when working after a brief, or do you prefer to just go with the flow?

I like to keep my work spontaneous. Over-planning leads to perfectionism and perfectionism leads to nothing ever being finished. I am very guilty of both.

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